Creating memories worth repeating11/25/2023 ![]() What you should do: Walk the trails at the Betty Steflik Memorial Preserve. I fell in love with Flagler’s unpretentious, small-town ambiance with limited high-rises and chain restaurants – just charming homes, a half-dozen shops, six motels and two bed-and-breakfasts along 11 miles of historic and scenic A1A. The hotel portion, a former 1920s residence, was filled with antiques and collectibles, and the dog-friendly motel rooms came with beach views. Our family, Sassy included, stayed at The Topaz, a small motel/hotel facing the beach. Not many Atlantic beaches welcome our water-loving canine friends. My memory: It may have been the happiest moment in my dog Sassy’s life when she saw Flagler Beach. What I’ll do next time: I’ll hang my hat at Mermaids Landing – nine kitschy Cracker cottages from the 1950s. And you can’t leave without sampling the blue crab and clams – try Tony’s Seafood downtown. You can also catch the annual Cedar Key Seafood Festival, held in October, when Seahorse Key’s historic lighthouse is open. What you should do: In October, go to Seahorse Key, an established rookery. I love to take an Cedar Key Boat Rentals & Island Tours to Atsena Otie Key to see the site of the old Faber Pencil Mill. ![]() I see art galleries and shops on Dock and 2nd streets, rusted roofs in the early morning sunlight and seafood restaurants, and I feel a small-town, slowed-down vibe. My memory: Driving 20 miles along a quiet state highway with untamed trees and palmettos growing thick and wild until finally I reach Cedar Key – a place rich in New England seaside ethos. ![]() Instead, I’ll spend my time in the furnished cabins, available for weekly rental. As the dents in my poor little Honda Civic attest, I will never think of handling an RV on my own. Moore RV Resort also will be on my itinerary. This leads to ever-changing levels of salinity in the lakes (and makes for great fishing). Found in Topsail and in surrounding Walton County, these lakes create an outfall that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. What I’ll do next time: Check out the coastal dune lakes in the park. Try the crawfish etouffee and, for dessert, the New Orleans bread pudding. Later, treat yourself to a nice dinner at Acme Oyster House at the nearby Village of Baytowne Wharf, part of the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. What you should do: Swim, fish, stroll along the shore – and remember to pack everything you’ll need, including sunscreen, food and drinks (the beach has no concession stands). (Miss the tram, and it’s a mile hike down to the water.) I meet some very friendly families from Alabama who are here with their RVs. The sense of the beach being a destination getaway is enhanced by the wait for the tram at the park’s entrance – it runs hourly during the summer (these hours change in the winter), taking you through longleaf pine forests and pine scrub. It’s a rugged, dramatic landscape, this 3.2-mile shoreline fronting crystalline Gulf of Mexico waters. My memory: A Sahara on the Gulf of Mexico? At Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, the sand dunes typically top 14 feet (with some reaching 25 feet), reminding me of all the Lawrence of Arabia movies ever made. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, A Perfectly Quiet Time Our travel writers, who know every corner and curve of the Sunshine State, share their memories of places you also might want to explore. ![]() You know when you’ve found that perfect vacation spot – it’s a place you replay in your mind when you’re back home and can’t wait to revisit.
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